How to Fix Find My Location Not Updating? 9 Ways Here

It's a sinking feeling: you open the Find My app to check on a family member or locate a misplaced device, only to see an empty map or a location timestamp from hours (or even days) ago.

Before you worry too much, take a deep breath. Find My location not updating is usually caused by a temporary software glitch or a connectivity issue, not because the device is permanently lost. In many cases, the problem is something simple, such as a weak cellular signal, an enabled battery-saving mode, or a privacy setting that was accidentally turned off.

This guide covers the most effective methods to refresh stuck location data on iPhone.

Part 1. Why Is Find My Friends/iPhone Not Updating Location

Before jumping into solutions, it's helpful to understand why Find My location is not updating in the first place. In most cases, the issue happens when there's a break in the communication chain between the device, GPS satellites, and Apple's servers. If any part of that chain fails, the location can become stuck or outdated.

Part 2. 4 Quick Fixes to Find My Location Not Updating

If you are in a hurry, try these rapid solutions first. They resolve the majority of cases where Find My iPhone is not updating location due to minor connectivity hiccups.

1Toggle Airplane Mode On and Off

Sometimes the cellular radio on your iPhone gets "stuck" on a weak tower. Toggling Airplane Mode forces the device to disconnect and reconnect to the strongest available signal.

Step 1. Open your Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner)

Step 2. Tap the Airplane icon to turn it On.

Step 3. Wait about 10 seconds, then tap it again to turn it Off.

Step 4. Check the Find My app to see if the location refreshes.

2Refresh Location Services

If the GPS sensor itself is glitching, turning the main switch off and back on can reset it.

Step 1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.

Step 2. Toggle the main Location Services switch OFF.

Step 3. Wait a few seconds and toggle it back ON.

Step 4. Also, tap on Find My in the list below and ensure "Precise Location" is enabled.

3Turn Off and On Share My Location

This restarts the specific sharing protocol used for "Find My Friends".

Step 1. Go to Settings and tap your [Name/Apple ID] at the top.

Step 2. Tap Find My.

Step 3. Toggle Share My Location to OFF, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back ON.

4Restart Your iPhone

It may sound cliché, but restarting your iPhone clears temporary cache and memory. In many cases, this alone fixes the Find My location not updating issue instantly.

Part 3. 5 Deep Troubleshooting to Find My Location Not Updating

If the quick fixes didn't work, the issue might be stuck deeper in the app's cache or network settings. Here are 5 advanced methods to force an update.

1Re-add the Person to Favorites

This is a little-known trick. Moving a contact to your "Favorites" list in the Find My app forces the server to prioritize their location updates.

Step 1. Open the Find My app.

Step 2. Tap the person's name who has the location not updating on Find My iPhone.

Step 3. Scroll down and tap Add to Favorites. If they are already there, remove them and add them again.

2Add a Location Notification for Someone

Setting up a notification (e.g., "Notify me when they arrive at...") forces the Find My servers to actively ping the device for its current status to set the trigger.

Step 1. Select the person in the Find My app.

Step 2. Tap Notifications > Add.

Step 3. Choose Notify Me and select a location (like their current expected location). This often "wakes up" the tracking.

3Enable Background App Refresh

If Find My cannot run in the background, it will only update when you open the app. Therefore, it's suggested to enable background app refresh when your location not updatin on Find My iPhone.

Step 1. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.

Step 2. Ensure the main switch is on Wi-Fi & Cellular Data.

Step 3. Scroll down to Find My and ensure the toggle is Green (ON).

4Update iOS to the Latest Version

Apple frequently releases patches for GPS and connectivity bugs. Using an outdated iOS is a common reason for find my location not updating.

Step 1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Step 2. If an update is available, tap Update Now.

5Reset Network Settings

This is the "nuclear" option for connectivity issues. It erases saved Wi-Fi passwords and Bluetooth connections but often clears the corrupted data causing the location lag.

Step 1. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.

Step 2. Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Step 3. Enter your passcode and confirm.

Part 4. Bonus: How to Make Find My iPhone Not Update Location Without Them Knowing

Sometimes, the situation is reversed. Instead of fixing a stuck location, you may want to protect your privacy without sending obvious signals that you’ve stopped sharing your location.

Common solutions—like turning on Airplane Mode or disabling Location Services—make this very obvious. Your status will show as “Offline” or “Location Not Available,” which can immediately raise questions. However, there is a more discreet method you can use: a tool such as PoKeep Location Changer.

PoKeep allows you to set a virtual location that your iPhone continuously broadcasts to apps like Find My. Instead of cutting off location sharing completely, PoKeep simulates a stable GPS signal at a location of your choice. This keeps your location "fixed" without alerting friends or family that you have stopped sharing.

How to Make Find My iPhone Not Update Location with PoKeep

Step 1. Download and install PoKeep on your computer. Then, launch it.

Step 2. Connect your iOS device via USB for the first connection. Then, complete the on-screen initial setup.

Step 3. Choose "Change Location Mode" to instantly jump to a specific place, or use the "Multi-Spot Mode" to create a path with realistic movement.

Part 5. Final Thoughts

Seeing find my location not updating can be stressful, but it is rarely a permanent hardware failure. By following the steps in this guide—from quick fixes like toggling Airplane Mode to deeper solutions such as resetting network settings—you can usually fix Find My iPhone not updating location quickly and easily.

Whether you're restoring accurate location tracking or managing your privacy with tools like PoKeep Location Changer, understanding how location services work helps you stay in control of when and how your location is shared.